Zara’s POV
“Nicolas?” I whispered in disbelief. “Is that you?” His intoxicating honey and vanilla scent suddenly hit my nostrils, calming my racing heart.
It was really him. He came for me!
I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. He was different, yet so familiar. He looked and smelled like home.
Beautiful raven fur covered most of his body-except for his chest; it was covered in the distinctive silver-colored fur. It was so mesmerizing. It was a symbol of power, stating that he belonged to one of the mightiest silver wolf packs around.
I furrowed my eyebrows.
What had happened to him?
Why was he looking like that?
Did he and Ray merge into one? Was this Ray’s doing?
“Zara,” Levi’s voice chimed in my ears, interrupting my thoughts. I unwillingly dragged my attention away, seeing him crawling closer. He held a dagger in his hands.
“What are you doing here?” I whispered, surprised. I didn’t expect Levi to help with the rescue.
Levi rolled his eyes, feeling annoyed, and huffed.
“Well, hallo to you too, sunshine,” he said, sounding a bit irritated by my welcoming. “I came to free you from your little rope friends. They appear to enjoy having their wrists bound.”
I disregarded his comments, and Levi got right to work.
“Be careful,” I warned. “The ropes are soaked in…”
“Wolfbane,” he cut me off and looked at me. “I know. I could smell the distinctive smell from way up there.”
It only took Levi a moment to free my hands, and the ropes fell to the floor. I start rubbing my wrists; they were swollen and red.
“Let’s go; we don’t have much time….”
“But what about-”
Levi growled lowly at my lack of urgency; he clasped my arm and quickly dragged me away.
“What about Nicolas?” I repeated my question once we were no longer visible. “We can’t just leave him there.”
“Relax,” Levi said, a sinister grin followed on his lips as he winked at me. “He will be just fine. Many warriors surround him.”
“I don’t underst-”
“The surrounding packs offer their warriors to help us,” Levi quietly explained. “We have enough warriors to start a war.”
I shivered like I was cold. The thought of what could happen if a war should break out weighed heavily on my mind.
I shook the dark thought off, trying to focus on what Levi was blabbering about.
“I need to get you out of here,” he said. “Ronan is waiting…”
What about Nic? I can’t leave him like this. This wasn’t anyone’s fight but mine.
“I can’t let you do this alone,” I said. “I-I need to help!”
“Zara,” Levi cut me off, taking my face in his hands. “You will be helping by staying far away. Once you’re safe and out of danger, we can easily eliminate them. There are more warriors waiting in the tunnels and outside. It’s an effortless win…”
I sighed and nodded. Levi wouldn’t listen to a word I said. I silently followed Levi toward an exit.
The sudden sound of wolves howling and growling bounced against the cave walls, making me jump in fright.
Levi was right; Nicolas was not alone. A few dozen wolves must be howling down there, offering assistance.
The earth under our feet started shaking, and in the midst of the event, I turned and looked back. I stopped abruptly.
“No!” The word escaped my lips.
Levi knitted his eyebrows, looking at me puzzled, until he shifted his gaze in the direction I was looking.
Jamie, Nicholas, and the rogues weren’t visible anymore. A thick layer of dark, angry gray smoke covered them.
Silence filled the air.
My heartbeat escalated and thumped faster and faster in my chest.
What the hell just happened?
Were they still alive?
Red eyes suddenly appeared brightly in the thick smoke, its shadow growing larger and larger.
I gasped, and a fearful shiver ran down my spine.
“What the hell is that?” Levi muttered bewildered beside me.
“I don’t know,” I responded, feeling anxious. Whatever it was, it was huge.
“I have a bad feeling about this,” Levi stated, grabbing my arm and pulling me further down the tunnel.
Ronan waited for him; he looked a bit anxious by pacing up and down the narrow tunnel.
I guessed he wanted to return to Nicolas’s side and protect him.
“We better get you out of here and to safety, Luna,” he said, giving me his hand. “Your father has arrived. He is waiting for you…”
“Kyle is there too,” Levi quickly added. “They will keep you safe.”
I nodded, unable to utter a word. I was worried for the safety of everyone inside the cave.
What was that thing?
“I need you to take this and give it to Celia,” Ronan said. “She will know what to do with the book.”
“I hope she will find a way to destroy it,” Levi said.
“Me too,” Ronan added.
Levi handed me over to Ronan, yet the second I took his hand, Levi and Ronan were ripped back with an invisible force, leaving me standing alone in shock.
I could hear their horrific growling bouncing off the tunnel walls as they were pulled back down in the cave.
“I have to help them!” I whispered. “I will never forgive myself if any one of them dies!”
Kaya must have heard the commotion, and she quickly returned from the depths of my mind.
“What’s going on?” She asked. She seems more herself.
“I think Jamie used magic,” I stated. “We need to help them. Did you find a way to release my magic?”
Kaya shook her head. “I am not sure where to look anymore…. I tried….”
“I know,” I said. “I don’t blame you. Will we be able to shift?”
“Yes, the wolfsbane has worn off,” she stated.
“Will we hurt the pup if we did?” I asked, getting worried. Usually she-wolves stop shifting when they are pregnant. It was safer for the pup that way.
“No, he will be fine,” she said. “Go ahead and shift. I will keep him safe.”
I shifted, ripping Luna Mary’s gown to shreds. Getting rid of it felt satisfying. The magic surrounding it never influenced me directly, but I was happy to be rid of it.
I shook out Kaya’s fur, feeling excited to be standing on all fours. It has been some time since I shifted.
I didn’t wait a moment longer; I sprinted back down the tunnel, the wind whooshing through my fur.
My heart was now thumping uncontrollably. I was beyond worried.
My mate was down there.
My mate was in danger, and all because of me!
I need to stop Jamie and Alpha Jack.
The thick smoke seemed to have cleared, but the growling and snapping of jaws didn’t stop. I could hear wolves fighting, and the salty smell of blood tickled my nose.
I reached the end of the tunnel, and it was nothing like what I expected to find.
There was blood on the walls and wolf body parts everywhere.
The sight was horrific. I felt a surge of bile rising within me.
My gaze slowly shifted to the huge object in the center of the room, making me shiver as it ran down my spine.
A huge 15-foot black and red dragon with three heads stood in Jamie’s place. The creature’s wings span easily, reaching 50 feet.
Each head looked different-more dangerous than the next.
Two of the heads had their tongues wrapped around the betas, shaking them for dear life.
The third head was attending to the wolves at the bottom, snapping the warriors in half, one by one.
The beast suddenly roared and slammed his tail on the ground. The cave dangerously shook, throwing the wolves off their feet and bringing down huge rocks from the ceiling.
My gaze shifted to the dragon’s feet. It had pinned Nicolas down under one of his front claws.
“What to do?” I muttered. “How the hell am I going to save them…?”
Something just clicked. Before I could register what I was doing, I had started running toward the dragon’s back.
The creature was moving his tail viciously and slamming it at the warriors.
I managed to find a way onto the dragon’s back, making my way up to the first head. The creature was so preoccupied with the warriors that he didn’t even notice what I was doing.
As soon as I was close enough, I went for its eyes. I dug my claws into his eyeballs, hearing them rip under my claws.
The head released an agonizing roar, viciously shaking his head, releasing Levi and me flying onto his back.
I got to my feet and jumped out of the way when the head came at me; it snapped its jaws at me and sunk its teeth into the second head’s neck.
The second head roared in agony, releasing Nicolas under its claws.
Nicolas scrambled to his feet and moved away. His gaze was searching for where I was.
“Zara, get down there!” Levi yelled from below. “It’s not safe; you’re going to kill yourself!”
“Not until he releases Beta Ronan!” I whispered. “All of you came to save me; now I am just returning the favor.”
Nicolas must have heard me, and he was searching for a way to get to me.
The two heads were now growling at each other, making it easier for me to find an opening to get to the third head.
“Luna, don’t!” Ronan yelled when he saw what I was about to do…
****